Teknor Apex partners with Israeli start-up for municipal waste-based TPEs

Tel Aviv – Teknor Apex has partnered with Israeli materials company UBQ Materials to produce “eco-conscious” thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), driven from municipal solid waste, said UBQ in a statement 26 April.

Established in 2012 in Tel Aviv, UBQ produces sustainable plastic substitute – branded UBQ – converted entirely from unsorted waste, including all organics that have been diverted from landfills.

According to the manufacture, the patented material has already been adopted by “leading industry brands and enterprises”, including PepsiCo. and McDonald's, for manufacturing durable products with reduced environmental footprints.

This partnership marks the first time UBQ will be used in TPE compounds, which are to hit the market in 2022, added the company.

The two companies, said the statement, have worked together over the past year to develop a series of TPEs incorporating various levels of UBQ and high-quality post-consumer recycled raw materials.

"We are introducing the market to a new TPE option that is both cost-competitive and better for the planet," said Jonathan Plisco, new business development manager of Teknor Apex.

According to Plisco, the sustainable option meets "both the functional and financial requirements of a competitive marketplace."